Despite No Mention at WWDC, tvOS 16 Is Coming | Here’s What to Expect

If you followed yesterday’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) Keynote, you might have noticed the conspicuous absence of any mention of the Apple TV or its core operating system, tvOS.

However, that doesn’t mean that Apple isn’t planning to release a new version of tvOS. It’s just that with all the exciting new features in iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura — plus the M2 chip and two new MacBooks — there wasn’t time to say much about the Apple TV.

Further, tvOS updates have been relatively minimalist over the past few years. The last two WWDC keynotes barely mentioned tvOS by name, rolling it into a more general segment on updates to the home instead. This encompassed everything from HomeKit accessories to the HomePod mini and Apple TV, but with a packed schedule this time, Apple covered that part more quickly in the iOS 16 unveiling.

Nevertheless, there is a tvOS 16, and the first developer beta for it has landed alongside the rest of Apple’s operating system updates.

Typically, tvOS updates have mostly been about keeping on par with the tentpole features in each year’s major iOS release. For instance, last year tvOS 15 brought SharePlay support, HomeKit package detection and other security camera improvements, and tighter integration with the HomePod mini. However, little else changed in the overall tvOS interface.

So, it’s a safe bet that tvOS 16 will be a similarly pedestrian update, especially compared to all the cool stuff coming to iOS 16. It’s not even clear what’s changed quite yet, but at the very least, it’s expected to be on par with iOS 16 improvements like tighter SharePlay integration in third-party apps and the redesigned Home app.

With support for Matter arriving later this year, tvOS 16 will also need to include some under-the-hood improvements to handle the new home automation standard since it can act as a Home Hub alongside the HomePod mini.

Apple’s developer page lists several specific tvOS enhancements, including cross-device connectivity, multiuser support, and SwiftUI:

1. Cross-device connectivity promises to help your Apple TV become a more connected part of the rest of your device ecosystem. For example, Apple says motion sensor data from your Apple Watch could be used to deliver more personalized workouts on the Apple TV. Your iPhone could also display real-time information for whatever is playing on your Apple TV, similar to what YouTube recently announced, or even act as additional screens for gameplay.
2. Multiuser Support will allow developers of third-party apps to access user profiles on the Apple TV. Right now, family members can switch to their own profile, but this only affects Apple’s first-party apps like TV and Music. With tvOS 16, the user profile could be shared with everything from Netflix to Disney+, allowing these apps to open directly to the current user’s content library. Saved game states can also be stored based on user profile, and a user-independent keychain will store each user’s passwords separately for signing into tvOS apps.
3. SwiftUI for tvOS will give developers more flexibility in designing Apple TV apps. This will let them get more creative, with custom button styles and effects that will hopefully provide more uniqueness among different apps.
4. Game Controllers: According to the release notes for the first tvOS 16 beta, Apple is also bringing support for “many additional Bluetooth and USB game controllers” to align with the new Game Controller framework in macOS 13 and iOS 16.
   

What’s also interesting is that tvOS 16 supports both the 2021 Apple TV 4K and its 2017 counterpart along with the original 2015-era Apple TV HD. It appears recent rumors of the older set-top box’s demise were somewhat exaggerated.

As with Apple’s other beta developer preview releases, tvOS 16 is currently available only to the Apple Developer Program members. It’s expected to be released in September, although a public beta will likely arrive in the coming weeks.